Applicator Glove

ABSTRACT

The disclosed invention uses a finger covering to position a supply of medicine in a location where it may be administered in a manner that increases applicant&#39;s control of the administration and lowers the anxiety level of the patient by using a sheathed finger.

PRIORITY/CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims priority to Provisional PatentApplication No. U.S. 62/853,438 entitled “Medical Applicator Glove”filed by Daniel C. Phelan on May 28, 2019. That application isincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Introducing medicine to infants and animals may be a difficult process.While human adults can comprehend the need to take or apply a medicine,infants and animals typically resist taking medicine in some manner.When introducing oral medications, the challenge is keeping the mouthopen to introduce the medicine and then forcing the mouth closed toprevent the medicine from coming out. This involves forcing the mouthopen, dropping the medicine in and then forcing the mouth closed. If themedicine is in liquid form, a syringe is forced into the mouth and themedicine is discharged. This process can introduce anxiety into therecipient.

Topical medicine has additional issues. In some cases, medicine needs tobe applied to a sensitive location or an area that is not normallytouched. The recipient usually does not understand what is happening,causing anxiety as medicine is applied.

As a result, there is a need for a way to either apply or introducemedicine or other substances in a manner that does not produce anxietyin the recipient or to a location that is otherwise inaccessible toanything other than hands.

SUMMARY

An exemplary embodiment includes a finger covering (hereinafter a glove,but a finger cot is also within the scope of the invention) with abladder located on the finger pad of at least one finger. The bladder isdimensioned to accept medicine or other substance in either solid orliquid form. The medicine may be added to the bladder with the exemplaryembodiment of the invention either on or off the hand. Once the glove ison the hand and the bladder is loaded, the glove is then positionedwhere the medicine needs to be introduced. Alternatively, the bladdermay be in the palm of the glove and be operated in a substantiallysimilar manner.

The medicine may be delivered in different forms. If the medicine is tobe administered orally, the applicator with the bladder is inserted intothe mouth. Once in the mouth, the bladder discharges the medicine. Thisbypasses the tongue and other obstructions, forcing the medicine down.If the medicine is to be applied topically or into another orifice, thedelivery is performed in a substantially similar manner by placing afinger at the application site and discharging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1a shows an exemplary embodiment where only a single finger iscovered.

FIG. 1b shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1 a.

FIG. 1c shows an alternative embodiment where the relaxed state of thefinger cover is bent.

FIG. 1d shows an exemplary embodiment where the applicator is a fullglove.

FIG. 2a shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1d being used on a dogto apply a topical medication in the dog's ear.

FIG. 2b shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1d being used on aninfant to apply oral medication.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment that uses a palmbladder to store medicine that is discharged though a discharge nozzle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

An exemplary embodiment of the disclosed invention as shown in FIGS. 1aand 1b utilizes an applicator 100 dimensioned to allow a finger to beinserted in the applicator 100 with a bladder 102 located adjacent tothe finger pad of a finger. The bladder 102 has an aperture 104 thatopens toward the distal end of the applicator 100. The applicator 100can be placed at the location the medicine needs to be applied. Once inposition, the medicine is discharged from the bladder 102 to reach theintended location.

Medicine may be discharged in different ways. In one embodiment, whenthe applicator 100 is placed in the opening to receive the medication,the user presses on the proximal end of the bladder 102 with his thumb,causing pressure to build in the bladder 102 to discharge the medicineout of the aperture 104. In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 1c ,the applicator 100 might be designed to have a curved relaxed state tomake an angle applicator 110. Instead of the thumb applying pressure tothe bladder 102, the action of straightening the finger in the angleapplicator 110 causes the tension to build in the bladder 102 forcingthe medicine to discharge out the bladder 102 through the aperture 104.

In operations, the user places the applicator 100 in any embodimentadjacent to the opening where the medicine needs to be applied. Once inposition, the user causes the medicine to discharge out the aperture104, causing the medicine to enter the opening (a mouth for oralmedicine as in FIG. 2b or on a surface for topical medication as in 2a).

In further exemplary embodiment, the technology may be adapted to applysubstances to other locations. These include, but are not limited toapplying analgesic to a child's gums in a child's mouth 220 duringteething as shown in FIG. 2b and applying grease to locations that canaccept a finger but no other oil dispensing tools.

Additionally, the applicator 100 may be placed inside the opening, wherethe applicator 100 occupies a substantial part of the opening to createa seal, such as in a dog's ear 215 as shown in FIG. 2a . The applicator100 itself acts as a plug preventing the medicine from leaving the dog'sear 215. This allows the remainder of the hand to be used to assistrotating the dog 210 to allow gravity to take the medicine in as deep asneeded.

The applicator 100 may have the medicine loaded in different ways. Oneembodiment comes with the bladder 102 preloaded, and the aperture 104opens when the pressure is applied. In alternate exemplary embodiment,the bladder 102 may be loaded by the user. An example of medicine to beloaded into the bladder 102 would include medicine that is typicallyprovided in a tube with a nozzle. The nozzle is inserted into theaperture 104 and loaded into the bladder 102 for use. Once the nozzle isremoved, the user operates the applicator 100 as previously described.

In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the bladder 102 is dimensionedsuch that a fixed amount of a medication or other substance to bedispensed. The applicator 100 may have bladders 102 dimensioned fordifferent volumes to applied. Examples would include an applicator 100dimensioned for a 5 milliliters verses an applicator 100 dimensioned fora 1 milliliter.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the applicator 100 is integrated intoa full or partial glove 120 as shown in FIG. 1d , where multiple fingersand the palm may be covered. A glove 120 embodiment may have a bladder102 on the finger pad of one or more fingers and operate as previouslydiscussed.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the applicator 100 may beincorporated into a bladder glove 300 that also contains a palm bladder302. In operations, the user places the discharge nozzle 306 (located inthe same location as the bladder 102 in prior embodiments) at thelocation to receive the medicine. The user's other fingers then applypressure to the palm bladder 302, forcing medicine though the tube 304and out the discharge nozzle 306.

One of skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments provide animproved delivery mechanism for medication or other substances. Althoughspecific embodiments are illustrated and described herein, it will beappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangementwhich is calculated to achieve the same purpose can be substituted forthe specific embodiments shown. This specification is intended to coverany adaptations or variations of embodiments. In particular, one ofskill in the art will appreciate that the names and terminology are notintended to limit embodiments. Furthermore, additional apparatus can beadded to the components, functions can be rearranged among components,and new components corresponding to future enhancements and futurephysical devices used in embodiments can be introduced without departingfrom the scope of the invention. The terminology used in thisapplication is intended to include all embodiments and alternativeswhich provide the same functionality as described herein.

1. An apparatus for applying a substance, comprising: A finger cover; Adischarge mechanism located on said finger cover; and A bladder coupledto said discharge mechanism.
 2. The apparatus from claim 1, wherein saidsubstance discharges from said bladder through said discharge mechanismunder user control.
 3. The apparatus from claim 1, wherein saiddischarge mechanism is integrated into said bladder.
 4. The apparatusfrom claim 3, wherein said discharge mechanism is a discharge aperturein said bladder.
 5. The apparatus from claim 1, wherein said fingercover is integrated into a glove.
 6. The apparatus from claim 5, whereinsaid discharge mechanism is a nozzle coupled to a flexible tube coupledto said bladder.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said bladder islocated in a palm of said glove.
 8. The apparatus from claim 1, whereinsaid bladder further comprises an opening that allows said substance tobe inserted.
 9. The apparatus from claim 8, wherein said bladderprevents said substance from discharging until initiated by a user. 10.The apparatus of claim 1, when said bladder is preloaded with saidsubstance.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said substance may beinstalled in said bladder by use of a tool.
 12. The apparatus of claim1, wherein said bladder may be reloaded.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1,where said finger cover has a relaxed state where said finger cover isbent, but a tense state when said finger cover is straightened.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 13, wherein said bladder discharges when said fingercover is straightened.
 15. A method for introducing substance to anobject, comprising: Positioning applicator covering at least one fingerto an application location; and Discharging said substance from saidapplicator.
 16. The method of claim 15, Wherein said object is capableof movement; and Wherein said object may be restrained by use of a handcoupled to said applicator.